Meet Fitz Carlile | Wedding & Portrait Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fitz Carlile and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fitz, what role has risk played in your life or career?
As an entrepreneur, taking and managing calculated risk is one of the most important characteristics of the job. Business owners must take risks – without it, there is rarely any reward. There’s a big difference between dreams and goals – dreams are what we do when we’re asleep, goals are what we define when we’re awake, and that’s where things get done. To achieve business goals, we must take calculated risk towards that end, and where others may see obstacles, entrepreneurs see opportunities and look for solutions. I’ve found that this way of thinking has opened up doors in my life beyond the running of a business – it has created a different way of looking at the world, one where I’m more confident in manifesting what I seek to enrich my experience with others or the life in front of me. I keep a comic by my desk called ‘The Maturity Climb’ which illustrates a large family of goats at different stages of maturity – which to me is a great representation of what a successful entrepreneur must become. Not afraid to fail, showing gratitude, becoming a good listener, wants to help others, assumes little, etc. I walked away from a comfortable career as a technology executive to ultimately build a successful business in wedding photography – one of the most saturated, competitive industries you can find in the marketplace. Deciding to walk away from a job in an industry I didn’t enjoy to ultimately feel like I never work a day in my life, where I define and pursue new ideas and goals every day, where my life as an artist and business owner is a constant reward that has brought me great contentment and happiness.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a wedding and portrait photographer. However, the kind of work I do within the wedding photography genre is very distinct from the competition – every image stands on its own as a thoughtful composition as if a still frame from a cinematic film or commercial/editorial shoot. My compositions are often quirky, surprising, different.

A big part of what sets me apart is that my color is immediately recognizable – uncommon in a sea of ‘presets’ that many photographers purchase on the internet because they have very little knowledge of how to build their own. You may notice this when scrolling through Instagram and see a landscape of orange/browns or an overexposed pastel ‘light and airy’ color palette. An important lesson I learned as an artist is to differentiate yourself from the competition. Whatever the majority of artists in a specific industry are doing – do the opposite of that, or something different enough that you’re the only one doing it that particular way. My clients always tell me ‘you’re doing something different, that’s what caught our eye’. There are always riches in niches.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think some of the most exciting things happening today in Los Angeles can be found in Koreatown, the Downtown Arts District, and the Highland Park/York neighborhoods in Northeast LA (NELA)

Koreatown’s restaurant scene has exploded in the past decade. It’s a culinary paradise with an incredibly diverse food scene, you could visit a different restaurant every day for a year and discover something new at every meal. The Arts District has transformed from a backwater district just 12 years ago to a walking fun zone with breweries, restaurants, boutiques, and high-end apartment living. It’s still a great place to take your camera for portrait sessions.

Highland Park has turned upside down in the past 5 or 6 years, going from a typical working class neighborhood into a super trendy hotspot with a steam-punk styled renovated bowling alley, restaurants ranked in the Top 101 best by the LA Times, fashion boutiques, and swanky bars that feel like they were transplanted straight out of Chicago or Manhattan.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Much of my success is attributed to the love and support of the family and friends I have in my life, all of whom have always believed in my potential and encouraged me in my pursuit of what I imagined could be possible.

My mother never once doubted me for a second when I said I wanted to become a photographer – I’m so happy I had the opportunity to share my everlasting gratitude with her one final time by her hospital bedside, it was the last thing I was able to tell her before she slipped into a coma and passed away from COVID. I love you, Mom.

My sister had been banging on my head for 10 years to become a photographer before I took the leap. My gratitude is endless, thank you Katie for your encouragement and persistence 🙂

Website: www.fitzcarlileweddings.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitzcarlileweddings/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitzcarlile/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitzcarlileweddings

Image Credits
portrait of me taken by my wifey, Laura Kim 🙂